Undergraduate Students
Katrina Gucwa
kgucwa1_at_knights.ucf.edu
Katrina Gucwa is a Burnett Honors College undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in mathematics. She is part of the Space Team. Her research focuses on lunar regolith behavior in microgravity, with an emphasis on adhesion and ablation characteristics. Her post-graduation plans are to gain experience in the aerospace industry working on launch vehicles. Then, she would like to acquire master’s and doctoral degrees in aerospace and physics related topics. She is a recipient of the MSTAR fellowship, a research collaboration between NASA and UCF. Her hobbies include language learning, exercise, and spending time with her animals and family. She joined the lab in Spring 2022.
Isaac Turner
isaacturner_at_knights.ucf.edu
Isaac Turner is an undergraduate student currently working towards his Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Central Florida. He is a part of the Space Team, and a member of the NASA Minds 2022 Dr. Regolith team. Through his efforts, he is helping to develop 3D-printed structures utilizing lunar regolith. After graduating, Isaac intends to earn a Master’s degree and begin working in the aerospace industry. His hobbies include reading, boardgames, dancing and home-renovations. He joined the lab Fall 2021.
Jamie Mihelich
jaime.mihelich_at_knights.ucf.edu
Jamie Mihelich is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Her research interest is the development of materials for aerospace applications. Jamie is a part of the Space Team currently working on learning the optical properties of lunar regolith. Her post-graduation goals are to work in the space industry while utilizing the knowledge gained from her research, and to potentially pursue a masters degree. Jamie’s industry interests include rocketry, satellites, and furthering human space travel. Her hobbies include reading, gaming, and traveling. She joined the lab in Fall 2021.
Oneilia Swaby
OneiliaSwaby_at_knights.ucf.edu
Oneilia Swaby is an Undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering. She is part of the ALOX team, a team that works towards developing stress-sensing coatings using piezospectroscopy. Oneilia’s research interests include nondestructive evaluation methods and additive manufacturing. Her post-graduation aspirations are to pursue a Master’s degree and a Doctoral degree. She hopes to one day open a nonprofit organization to promote STEM education to children from low-income backgrounds. Oneilia is a recipient of the NASA MSTAR Fellowship. Her hobbies include cooking, baking, and running. She joined the lab Fall 2021.
Luiz Sotomayor
Luizf.Sotomayor_at_knights.ucf.edu
Luiz Sotomayor is pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering as an undergraduate student at the University of Central Florida. Luiz’s research interests include mechanics of aerospace materials and structures, and aerodynamics. He is currently a part of the Space Materials team, where sensor development, matrix 3D printing, and microgravity effects are being studied. Luiz’s post-graduation goals are to begin working in the aerospace industry while continuing to conduct research on mechanics of aerospace materials, and to pursue a Master’s and Doctorate’s degree. His hobbies are soccer, working out, physical activities in general, and traveling. He joined the lab in Fall 2021.
Lauren Bansberg
lnbansberg_at_knights.ucf.edu
Lauren is an undergraduate student pursuing her second bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, after previously completing her BS in Health Sciences (Pre-clinical) from the University of Central Florida in 2020. She is currently a part of the NASA MINDS team, developing 3D-printed sensors composed of polymer resin and lunar or Mars regolith to monitor the structural integrity of components in future Artemis missions. In 2019, Lauren was involved in an Independent Research Study where she and her classmates constructed a lab manual to teach students in Jamaica about STEM through a non-profit called SOSA, with focus on aerospace and immunology. She continues to participate in STEM outreach activities. Her hobbies include watching and playing sports, hiking, traveling when possible, and spending time with her friends and family. Lauren joined the lab in Fall 2021.
Enes Colak
enescolak_at_knights.ucf.edu
Enes Colak is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Engineering Leadership. He is currently a part of the DARPA team, researching Stress Corrosion Cracking in alloys. He is a member of AIAA, Engineering Leadership & Innovation Institute at UCF (eli²) and, Next Gen Engineering. His hobbies include playing guitar, attending concerts, exercising, surfing, swimming, and reading science and psychology books. He joined the lab in Fall 2021.
Sreelekshmi Sreekumar
srees_at_knights.ucf.edu
Sreeleksmi (nickname: Sree) is an undergraduate student pursuing Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science. She is working with the hypersonic research team on investigating high temperature hypersonic/aerospace materials. Sree hopes to work in the space industry after her Master’s or Doctorate in the future to help with the mission to Mars. She is a marketing assistant in SWE-UCF, a combustion team member for SEDS-UCF’s liquid bipropellant rocket project, ASME, and a member of First Step. Her hobbies include painting, watching space-related movies/documentaries, tutoring mathematics, and going out with friends. Sree joined the lab in the Spring of 2021.
Natalie Fleming
nataliefleming_at_knights.ucf.edu
Natalie Fleming is an undergraduate student who is pursuing her Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering. Natalie’s interests include optimizing material structures for aerospace applications. She is currently a part of LEAD Scholars Academy, and the EXCEL/Compass program. Natalie is an active member of SEDS and UCF Robotics. Her hobbies include building custom computers, keyboards, and aviator cables. She is currently researching material conditions at high temperatures with her research team focusing on hypersonics. Her future aspirations include making significant contributions to material capabilities in engines, and perhaps become more involved in propulsions. She joined the lab in Spring 2021.
Maximus Schieman
maxschieman_at_knights.ucf.edu
Maximus (nickname: Max) is an undergraduate honors student pursuing a Bachelors in Materials Science & Engineering. He is currently a part of the CMAS & Hypersonics Teams, researching materials for extreme environments and working to advance TBCs to withstand CMAS degradation in aerostructures. He previously conducted biomaterials research in the Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering & Cancer Research Lab for the Florczyk Group. He is a member of Engineers without Borders and his hobbies include spikeball, writing, and beekeeping. He joined the lab in Fall 2021.
Vanessa D’Esposito
vanessadee_at_knights.ucf.edu
Vanessa is an undergraduate honors student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering and minors in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Music. She is currently a part of the CMAS team, researching how CMAS degrades TBCs in jet engines and how to mitigate its effects. She’s a member of SEDS-UCF, ASME-UCF, a student leader in ELI2, and sousaphone (tuba) player in Marching and Jammin’ Knights. In the past, she has worked at SimBlocks.io as a software development intern and at PeakActivity as an Innovation Intern, as a CWEP at Lockheed Martin under Infrared Search and Track specializing in algorithm development, and is currently at Lockheed Martin as an IRST Algorithim Development Intern. She was also a member of the 2021 IRES team continuing her work on the CMAS team. Her hobbies include programming, sports, keeping up with space-related news, videogames, practicing and composing music, and painting. She joined the lab in Summer 2020.
Conference Papers:
Vanessa D’Esposito and Seetha Raghavan, “Comparison of 3D Confocal Raman and High Energy X-ray Diffraction for the Measurement of Molten Sand Infiltration in Turbine Blade Coatings” AIAA 2021 Regional Student Conference, April 2021 (Second Place Winner, Undergraduate Category).
Perla Latorre-Suraez, Rohan Madathil, Nya Segura-Watson, Felix Morales, Vanessa D’Esposito, and Seetha Raghavan, “3D Printed Stress Sensors for Non-Destructive Evaluation of Space Structures” AIAA 2021 Regional Student Conference, April 2021.
Posters/Presentations:
D’Esposito V., Stein Z., Raghavan S., “Effects of CMAS Infiltration on Thermal Barrier Coatings Analyzed by Confocal Raman Spectroscopy and Synchrotron High-Energy X-Rays” UCF Student Scholar Symposium, UCF, April, 2021.
Latorre-Suarez P., Madathil R., Segura-Watson N., Morales F., D’Esposito V., Raghavan S., “Developing a 3D Printing Method to Print Stress Sensing Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring” UCF Student Scholar Symposium, UCF, April, 2021 (Undergraduate Presentation Winner).